New York, May 7 (Petra) – UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Türk warned on Wednesday that Israel’s announced plans to forcibly relocate Gaza residents to a small area in the south of the Strip, along with threats by Israeli officials to expel Palestinians from Gaza entirely, raise growing concerns that these actions are "increasingly aimed at creating conditions incompatible with the continued existence of Palestinians as a group in Gaza."

In a statement, Türk said that expanding the Israeli offensive in Gaza would inevitably result in further mass displacement, civilian deaths and injuries, and destruction of what little remains of the Strip’s infrastructure.

"There is no reason to believe that doubling down on military strategies which have failed to produce a lasting solution or secure the release of all hostages over the past year and eight months will succeed now," he said.

Türk stressed that an expanded offensive would worsen the suffering already caused by a nearly nine-week-long blockade on essential goods. "People in Gaza have already been deprived of all life-saving necessities, especially food," he noted, citing continued Israeli attacks on community kitchens and civilians trying to maintain basic law and order.

"Using starvation of civilians as a method of warfare constitutes a war crime," he added.

The high commissioner stated that the only lasting solution to the crisis lies in full adherence to international law, including the 2024 advisory opinion and provisional measures ordered by the International Court of Justice.

//Petra// AF

07/05/2025 21:53:18